Mom's Roast Turkey

My mom is the best cook, hands down. This is her perfect turkey recipe. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 50 mins
• Serves: 12-14

Ingredients

• 1 (12 lb)  whole turkey
• 1  teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1  tablespoon season salt
• 1⁄4 cup  cooking oil

Directions

1. Make sure turkey is thawed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse inside of turkey, pat inside and outside dry with paper towels. Sprinkle inside of turkey with a little lemon pepper.
2. Prepare turkey dressing, spoon into turkey cavities. (If do not use stuffing inside turkey, place large pieces of onion inside.). Tuck ends of drumsticks under band of skin across tail or wire or nylon leg clamp. Twist wing tips under back.
3. Brush the whole turkey with oil/butter. Season the whole turkey with seasoning salt and lemon pepper lightly.
4. Place the turkey breast side down; on a rack in a roasting pan. (I know! Everyone bakes them breast side up but that makes the breast dry! Cooking it breast side down lets the yummy juices flow into the breast.).
5. If using a meat thermometer, insert it into the center of inside thigh muscle. The thermometer should not touch bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil.
6. Roast turkey for 2 1/4 hours. (Adjust baking time according to turkey size).
7. Remove foil; cut band or string between drumsticks so thighs cook evenly. Continue to cook until meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees F. Juices should run clear and drumsticks should move easily in sockets.
8. Remove turkey from oven. Cover loosely with foil; let stand for 20 minutes before carving.